Why DevOps is not just for developers: Debunking DevOps myths

DevOps has never been more central to the Salesforce ecosystem, underpinned by the recent General Availability (GA) of Salesforce DevOps Center. As the community embraces DevOps as the preferred approach for Salesforce development and release management, teams have a renewed focus on improving the experience of moving changes between environments — all with greater accuracy and smoother delivery than change sets alone can provide.

There’s now so much information on DevOps for the Salesforce ecosystem available that it’d be wise to take some advice with a pinch of salt. Here, we round up some common DevOps myths, so you can decide whether it’s the right approach for you. (Spoiler: it probably is).

DevOps is just for developers

If you make changes in Salesforce, regardless of your role, then DevOps will help you manage that change. In fact, DevOps is a great way for anyone in the team to get involved with releases, and feel more confident doing so. You don’t need to have a technical background to be proficient in DevOps. What’s more, DevOps skills are likely to help you progress in your career – an increasing number of Salesforce job ads are asking for DevOps experience at admin level and beyond. So far from being just for developers, DevOps is becoming critical to all levels in the Salesforce ecosystem.

DevOps is only for big teams

A common misconception is that DevOps is only beneficial for large teams working on multiple projects, perhaps across different departments and time zones. But while DevOps is undoubtedly the best way to manage collaboration in setups like this, it can also be very helpful for small teams or even individuals. In his previous role as a solo consultant, DevOps Advocate Rob Cowell was searching for a way to better manage change delivery for his clients. This led him to use DevOps — in his team of one — to break down processes into manageable pieces, with full visibility for everyone involved. Whatever size your team is, DevOps will help you gain control over your Salesforce processes, develop more securely, and deliver value to your end users faster.

DevOps is a specific set of tools

There's a growing ecosystem of solutions to help teams, but software alone can't help teams achieve all the benefits of DevOps. Buying a new tool doesn't translate into increased release efficiency, team collaboration, or accuracy. That's why we at DevOps Launchpad think it's far more helpful to view DevOps as a mindset, which can provide a common purpose of getting changes into the hands of customers and users accurately and efficiently. You'll not only see better lead time, accuracy and feedback stats, but you'll also experience more room for cooperation and creativity within your team.

DevOps is the same in every ecosystem

There are some core principles of DevOps that remain true, no matter which platform you’re working on – such as collaboration, automation, and testing. But when it comes to Salesforce some things work a little differently, which is why it's important to ensure your whole team is on the same page when implementing DevOps. The variation between DevOps practices in each ecosystem can seem a little daunting, but don’t worry – there are loads of free resources available to help you and your team understand how to apply DevOps principles to Salesforce. Soon you’ll be reaping the benefits too!

Ready to bust those myths for yourself?

Now we’ve debunked the myths, are you ready to find out what Salesforce DevOps is all about? Register for your DevOps Launchpad account now to access a wide range of free courses that will have you up to speed in no time – and gain certifications to show off your DevOps prowess!